LaHood praises McCain’s choice for vice president

The selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate is typical of the independent thinking of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, said Friday.

Bernard Schoenburg

The selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate is typical of the independent thinking of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, said Friday.

“It’s classic McCain,” LaHood, a delegate for McCain at next week’s Republican National Convention, told reporters at the Statehouse, adding that it is “an outstanding pick.”
It was, he said, “out of the box, very independent-minded, surprising in many ways” because Palin wasn’t on public lists of likely candidates.

“He’s been able to find somebody outside of Washington … who has been a change agent in Alaska and … who can give the senator and the governor a chance to say to the American people, ‘We’re as much for change as the Democratic nominees,’” LaHood said.

The retiring representative recalled how he stood with McCain even when it appeared, a year ago, that the Arizona senator’s campaign was faltering. But LaHood said then and now, he considers McCain someone who “can walk in the front door of the White House today and run the country.”

Asked if Palin, who is in her second year as governor, could do the same, if needed, LaHood said, “I think she can. … I think the answer is absolutely yes.”

As the governor of a state, LaHood said, Palin has more executive experience than either Obama or his running mate, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware.

“She’s running the state of Alaska, which is a very diverse state,” LaHood said, “and doing it as a mother of five children.” She is, he said, “balancing a lot of responsibilities.”

LaHood said that while he thinks Obama and the Democrats at their national convention in Denver “put on a good show” and seemed “pretty united” when Obama delivered a “very good speech” Thursday night, it also appears Americans are looking for options because polls all week showed McCain and Obama nearly neck-and-neck.

There was “very little bump in the polls” for the Democrats, he said, which gives him hope.

The fact that McCain’s numbers have remained strong and his surprise choice of a running mate also can bode well for Illinois candidates for offices other than president, LaHood said, adding that as the home state senator, there is “no question” Obama will win Illinois. So Republicans are worried about coattails.

“We all know with Obama at the top of the ticket in Illinois, you’re going to have people voting who have never voted before,” LaHood said. “There’s going to be extraordinary turnout in Illinois,” which will include independents and “maybe even some Republicans.”

“So we’re worried about our candidates further on down the ballot,” he said.

Still, LaHood said, President Bush is popular in the 20 counties of the 18th Congressional District, which is a “conservative area,” and he expects McCain to win the district that includes part of Springfield.

LaHood also noted that the 44-year-old Palin balances the GOP ticket in areas including Washington experience versus state experience, age and gender.

“She will attract some of the women’s vote, but there are other women that are obviously going to be for Obama and Biden,” LaHood said.

Andy McKenna, chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, issued a statement saying McCain’s choice of Palin shows him to be “the leader who will move this country forward.”

“This historic decision is a reminder that John McCain is serious about bringing real change to Washington,” McKenna said. “Governor Palin is a proven leader who has taken on members of her own party, led on ethics reform, and has fought wasteful spending and higher taxes. This bold pick confirms our doubts about Barack Obama’s abilities to change the country when he has done nothing to change Illinois.”

Sangamon County Democratic Chairman Tim Timoney said the Palin pick seems an obvious attempt by McCain to win some of the women’s vote.

“I’ve never heard of her before,” Timoney said. “It doesn’t sound like she has much experience. The Obama campaign says it basically takes the experience factor off the table.”

Bernard Schoenburg can be reached at 788-1540.

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